Controlling means for swinging closures.



A. ARBNS. GONTROLLING MEANS FOR SWINGING CLOSURES.

VAPPLIOATION FILED AUG. 7, 1913.

Z SHEETS-SHEET 1.

` Patentempr. 28, 1914.

A. ARENS. GONTROLLING MEANS PoR SWINGING GLOSURES.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. '7, 1913.

Patented Apr. 28,' 1914.

s'rnrns Pagani onirica.

.AUGUST ARENS, OF NEW BRITAIN, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO TI-IE AIVIERICAJSTV HARDWARE CORPORATION, OF NEW BRITAIN, CONNECTICUT, .A CORPORATION OF CONNECTICUT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application ledAugust '7, 1913. Serial No. 783,467.

T0 all whom it may concern.'

Be it known that I, AUGUST AnnNs, a citizen of the United States, residing at New Britain, county of Hartford, State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Controlling Means for Swinging Closures, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

rThis invention relates to controlling means for swinging closures such as transoms and the like, and is designed to provide in a structure of this character arranged and normally tending to move to closed position, a hold-open device by means of which the transom may be held open at a desired angle, but which device becomes inoperative in the event of fire and permits the transom to close.

A preferred structural embodiment of my invention is described in detail in the following specification taken in connection with the accompanying drawings forming a part thereof and illustrating a preferable embodiment of the invention.

In these drawings Figure 1 is a view in end elevation showing the transom held in opened position by means of the device of the present invention. Fig. 2 is a view in elevation, partly in section, of the hold-open device in operative position.` Fig. 3 is a similar fragmentary view showing the parts of the hold-open device in released inoperative holding position. Figs. 4 to 7 inclusive show details of structure.

Referring to the drawings by numerals, 1 indicates the casing of a swinging 'closure such as the transom 2, which may be pivoted as at 3, so that it normally swings toward closed position by gravity; or other means may be employed in conjunction therewith to insure this result. The transom is preferably provided witha latching device 4 of standard construction, which coperates with the transom casing to retain the transom in closed position. This latching device will be provided with the usual hook to receive the end of the window stick. Se* cured to the edge of the transom adjacent its casing edge is a bracket 5 having spaced ears 5at between which is pivotally mounted the end of a link 6, which link is provided with a plurality of rounded notches 7 eX- tending longitudinally thereof and with a head 8 at its opposite end. This link 6 is arranged to engage with and be controlled by the hold-open device proper, which device is preferably constructed as follows: Secured to the side of the casing 2 is a supporting plate 9 having an outstanding annular flange or hub 10 within which is swiveled the lower end 11 of a guiding member. This lower end 11 is preferably provided .with alined grooves 11a and with a threaded bore 11b. A swiveling washer 13 is seated in the under face of the plate 9 and has ribs 13EL engagingwithin the grooves of the stem 11 and is secured to the plate 9 by means of thescrew 14 cooperating therewith and with the threaded bore 11b of the end portion 11. Intermediate its ends this guiding memberV is provided with a spherical enlargement 12 having-a transverse opening 15 extending therethrough. The shank of the link 6 is shaped to extend through this opening 15. The other end 16 of this guiding member is eXteriorly threaded and is provided with a bore 17 therein intersecting and preferably extending at right angles to the opening 15. In this bore and at the base thereof is seated a steel ball 18 and a coil spring 19 arranged with one end against this ball. The spring 19 when tensioned, is adapted to press the ball 18 against the locking notches 7 of the link 6 so that the transom may be adjustably held open at varying angles. In order to tension this spring againstthe locking ball, I provide a cap 20 interiorly threaded to engage with the threaded end 16 of the bearing member and having at its lower end a squared flange 21 for engagement by a suitable tool. Adjacent its upper end the cap 20 is provided with one or more slots 22 for the purpose hereinafter described. The upper end of the cap is turned inwardly to provide an annular flange 23, leaving an opening in the head of the cap of a diameter greater than the diameter of the coil spring 19 and in alinement therewith. A washer member 24 of a metal fusible at a comparatively low temperature is seated within the cap with its edge resting upon the interior faces of thefiange 237 and with its inner face Aengaging the upper end of the coil spring 19. This washer is, of course, of greater diameter than the coil spring and the opening in the head of the cap, so that when the cap is screwed down, the washer Patented Apr. 28, 1914.

will act as an abutment and tension the spring against the locking ball 18. The slots 22 in the side of the cap will register with the edges of the washer 24, and these, with the opening in the heady of the cap, will allow free access of heat to the fusible washer 24. It will also be evident that as the cap 20 has a threaded engagement with the end 16 of the guide member, the degree of tension of the coil spring 19 may be varied at will to suit different conditions.

Y Thev operation of the hold-open device will be obvious. By means of a window Astick the latch 4 is operated to free the transom, and the latter is then moved to the desired angle of opening, suiicient pressure causing the locking ball 18 to yield so as to free the previously engaged notch of the link. This operation will continue until the transom has reached the desired degree of'opening, whereupon the locking ball 18 will engage in the notch 7, registering therewith at this angle of opening, and will eX- ert suiiicient pressure thereagainst to hold the transom open against the means which normally tends to close the same. In the event of lire, the heat will reach the fusible washer through the slots 22 in the side of the cap 20 and through the opening in its head. This washer, under the influence of heat, will soften until the tension of the coil spring 19 becomes suficient to force the opposing face portion of the washer and its own upper end out through the opening in the head of the cap, the spring thereby losing all tension and releasing all pressure against the locking ball 18. In such an event it will be obvious that the closing means acting against the transom will swing it toward closed position, whereupon the latch 4 will lock it closed. These fusible washers may be easily replaced, and even in the event of fire the hold-open device is not injured so that it cannot be further used. It will also be obvious that as the guiding member is swiveled in its supporting plate, the device may be used at the right or left hand or at the top or bottom of the swinging closures.

I have herein described and illustrated a preferable embodiment of the invention, but it will be obvious and I desire it understood that various changes in structure and in the relative arrangement of parts may be made within the spirit of the invention and the scope of the appended claims.

Y What I claim is:

1. Controlling means for swinging elosures comprising, in combination with a swinging closure and its casing with means Ynormally tending to move said closure to closed position, a link pivotally secured to and extending from one of said parts, said link having a notch therein, a swiveled guiding member for said link carried by the other of said parts, said member having a passage for said link and carrying a locking member arranged to project within said passage to engage said link notch to hold said closure in opened position, said locking member being held in engagement with said link notch by spring means, and a fusible abutment normally tensioning said spring but arranged, on fusing, to release said spring and thereby release said holding member whereby said closure may swing to closed position.

2. Controlling means for swinging closures comprising, in combination with a swinging closure and its casing with means normally tending to move said closure to closed position, a link pivotally secured to and extending from one of said parts, said link having a notch therein, a swiveled guiding member for said link carried by the other of said parts, said member having a passage for said link and carrying a locking member arranged to project within said passage to engage said link notch to hold said closure in opened position, said locking member being held in engagement with said link notch by spring means, and a fusible abutment normally tensioning said spring but displaced thereby when fused by heat whereby said spring and locking member are released and whereby said closure may swing to closed position.

3. Controlling means for swinging closures comprising, in combination with a swinging closure and its casing with means normally tending to move said closure to closed position, a swiveled guide member secured to and extending from one of said parts and provided with a passage therethrough, a link pivotally secured to and extending from the other of said parts and through said passage, said link having a locking notch therein and said guide member having a bore formed therein communieating with said passage, a locking member seated in said bore and arranged to be engaged with the notch in said link, a coiled spring in said bore operating against said locking member, and a fusible abutment closing said bore and normally engaging Said spring to tension it against said locking member but displaced by said spring on being fused by heat whereby said spring is released from tension and whereby said closure may swing to closed position.

4. Controlling means for swinging closures comprising, in combination with a swinging closure and its casing with means normally tending to move said closure to closed position, a swiveled guide member secured to and extending from one of said parts and provided with a passage therethrough, a link pivotally secured to and eX- tending from the other of said parts and through said passage, said link having a locking notch therein, and said guide member having a bore formed therein communicating With said passage, a locking member seated in said bore and arranged to be engaged With the notch in said link, a coiled spring in said bore operating against said locking member, a cap removably carried by said guiding member having an opening therein in alinement With said bore and said spring and of greater diameter than said spring, and a fusible Washer Within said cap covering the opening therein and normally held by said cap in engagement With said spring to tension the same against said locking member but displaced by said spring on being fused by heat whereby said spring may extend through said cap opening to release the tension against said locking member and permit the closure to swing to closed position,

5. Cont-rolling means for swinging closures comprising, in combination With a swinging closure and its casing With means normally tending to move said closure to closed position, a swiveled guide member secured to and extending from one of said parts and provided With a passage there-- through, a link pivotally secured to and ex tending from the other of said parts and through said passage, said link having a 30 locking notch therein and said guide member having a bore formed therein communieating with said passage, a locking member seated in said bore and arranged to be engaged with the notch in said link, a coiled spring in said bore operating againstsaid locking member, a cap adjustably engaging said guide member having an opening in its end in alinement with said bore and spring and of greater diameter than said spring, said cap also having a slot in its side adjacent said end, and a fusible Washer Within said cap covering the opening therein and normally held by said cap in engagement with said spring to tension the same against said locking member, said Washer upon being fused by heat having that portion opposed to said tensioned spring displaced thereby out through said cap opening whereby said spring may extend out through said opening to release the tension against said locking member and to permit the closure to swing to closed position.

AUGUST ARENS.

Witnesses:

CHAs. A. PEARDY, IDA M. HUNZIKER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Iatents, Washington, D. C. 

